Firefighters OK after explosion; power restored

April 23, 2012

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 1:17 p.m.

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Gear of two injured firefighters lies on the sidewalk near the site where an underground electrical vault exploded near Fairmont and Yorba Linda boulevards in Yorba Linda. The two firefighters were taken to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana with mild injuries, OCFA spokesman Marc Stone said. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Neighbors and passersby look at the site where two firefighters were injured when an underground electrical vault explosion injured and knocked out power to Southern California Edison customers, fire officials said. They sit along Yorba Linda near Fairmont boulevards in Yorba Linda. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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A blast at this manhole cover in Yorba Linda injured two firefighters when an underground electrical vault exploded. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Gear of two injured firefighters lies on the sidewalk near the site where an underground electrical vault exploded near Fairmont and Yorba Linda boulevards in Yorba Linda. The two firefighters were taken to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana with mild injuries, OCFA spokesman Marc Stone said. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The site where two firefighters were injured, left on sidewalk, when an underground electrical vault exploded injuring two firefighters and knocking out power to Southern California Edison customers, fire officials said. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Neighbors and passersby look at the site where two firefighters were injured when an underground electrical vault explosion injured and knocked out power to Southern California Edison customers, fire officials said. They sit along Yorba Linda near Fairmont boulevards in Yorba Linda. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Early Monday morning, the sidewalk and lanes of eastbound Yorba Linda Boulevard were coned off at Fairmont Boulevard to protect Southern California Edison workers repairing the electric vault that exploded eight times Sunday night. BRUCE CHAMBERS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Gear of two injured firefighters lies on the sidewalk near the site where an underground electrical vault exploded near Fairmont and Yorba Linda boulevards in Yorba Linda. The two firefighters were taken to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana with mild injuries, OCFA spokesman Marc Stone said.CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

YORBA LINDA – Two firefighters were released from the hospital after being treated for first-degree burns suffered when underground equipment near an electrical substation on Yorba Linda Boulevard exploded Sunday night, authorities said Monday.

The incident, which included at least four explosions and knocked out power to 3,385 Southern California Edison customers, occurred near Fairmont Boulevard at about 8 p.m.

A captain and a firefighter were injured when they approached the manhole, which had already popped off after at least two explosions, to take a peek inside, police and fire officials said.

"They wanted to get a closer look to see what we had, and that's when there was a third explosion," said Capt. Marc Stone, an Orange County Fire Authority spokesman.

The explosion tossed the two about 10 feet, Stone said. The captain ended up on a hill and the firefighter down the road a bit.

"The firefighter took the brunt of the actual fire coming out of the hole in the explosion," Stone said. "The captain was thrown the farthest."

They were transported to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana to be treated for mild injuries, Stone said. They were released a couple of hours later.

Edison spokesman Paul Klein said power was restored about 10:15 p.m.

Eyewitnesses said sparks and smoke shot up from a manhole on Yorba Linda Boulevard with each explosion.

OCFA Battalion Chief Jeff Adams said the explosions stopped when Edison staffers turned off all the underground equipment.

Edison crews remained on the scene into Monday morning.

"They are evaluating the damage, and they are going to make repairs as necessary," Klein said.

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